''A Class Act'' is a quasi-

autobiographical An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...

loosely based on the life of

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

lyricist A lyricist is a writer who writes lyrics (the spoken words), as opposed to a composer, who writes the song's music which may include but not limited to the melody, harmony, arrangement and accompaniment. Royalties A lyricist's income derives ...

Edward Kleban, who died at the age of 48 in 1987. Featuring a book by Linda Kline and

Lonny Price Lonny Price (born March 9, 1959) is an American director, actor, and writer, primarily in theatre. He is best known for his New York directing work, including ''Sunset Boulevard'', '' Sweeney Todd'', ''Company'', and ''Sondheim! The Birthday Co ...

along with music and lyrics by Kleban himself, the musical uses flashbacks and the device of time running backwards to retrace the high and low points of the composer's personal and professional life. The original production concept was haphazardly thrown together by Kleban's close friend and author of the book by using a trunkful of songs that Kleban had written for a number of unproduced musicals, and writing new scenes or reworking original scenes around them, with Price polishing up the results. In addition to serving as a tribute to one of the award-winning collaborators of ''

A Chorus Line ''A Chorus Line'' is a 1975 musical conceived by Michael Bennett with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, the musical is cent ...

'', ''A Class Act'' provides yet another behind-the-scenes glimpse at how a musical is created and brought to the stage. In contrast to ''A Chorus Line'' however, the piece offers a considerably more severe warning as well about how an artist's personal life—including struggles with

mental illness A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness, a mental health condition, or a psychiatric disability, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. A mental disorder is ...

and

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

—can interfere with, obstruct, and eventually doom his professional as well as his personal pursuits.

Productions

The musical was initially produced

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

by the

Manhattan Theatre Club Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) is a theatre company located in New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. Lynne Meadow has been the company’s Artistic Director and visionary since 1972. Barry Grove joined the company in 19 ...

at Stage II, opening on October 3, 2000 and running through December 10, 2000. Director Lonny Price cast himself as the lead in the Off-Broadway production, and the cast was rounded out by

Randy Graff Randy Graff (born May 23, 1955) is an American actress and singer. Early years Born in Brooklyn, New York on May 23, 1955, Graff was part of a musically oriented family. Her grandmother "was the lead soprano in temple", and her uncle sang with, ...

as Sophie, Jonathan Freeman as Lehman Engel,

Carolee Carmello Carolee Carmello is an American actress best known for her performances in Broadway musicals and for playing the role of Maple LaMarsh on the television series '' Remember WENN'' (1996–1998). She is a three-time Tony Award nominee and a five ...

as Lucy, Ray Wills as both Charlie and Marvin Hamlisch,

Julia Murney Julia Kathleen Murney (born January 14, 1969) is an American actress and singer, also known for television commercial voice-overs. Until 2005, she was commonly known as the Broadway actress who had technically never appeared on Broadway, becaus ...

as Felicia, Nancy Anderson as Mona, and David Hibbard as both Bobby and Michael Bennett. ''A Class Act'' transferred to

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

on March 11, 2001 at the Ambassador Theatre, where it ran for 30 previews and 105 regular performances. Price, Graff, Hibbard, and Anderson were retained from the Off-Broadway company, with Patrick Quinn replacing Freeman, Donna Bullock replacing Carmello,

Jeff Blumenkrantz Jeff Blumenkrantz (born June 3, 1965) is an American actor, composer and lyricist. Born in Long Branch, New Jersey, Blumenkrantz is a graduate of Northwestern University School of Communication. His stage credits include roles in the Broadway pr ...

replacing Wills, and

Sara Ramirez Sara Elena Ramírez Vargas (; born August 31, 1975) is an American actor. Born in Mazatlán, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Ramírez moved from Mexico to the United States at eight years old, eventually graduating with a fine arts degree from the Juillia ...

replacing Murney.

Canadian premiere

''A Class Act'' had its Canadian premiere presented by the Toronto Civic Light Opera Company as the company's 30th anniversary production in May 2009. The show starred Joe Cascone (Ed Kleban), Caroline Moro-Dalicandro (Sophie), David Haines (doubling as Bobby and Marvin Hamlisch), Joanne Kennedy (Lucy), Eric Botosan (Lehman Engel), Julie Lennick (Felicia), Stephanie Douglas (Mona) and Larry Gibbs (doubling as Charley and Michael Bennett). Like the original New York productions, the Toronto production was directed by its leading player, Joe Cascone, with choreography by Lesley Ansell and musical direction by Paul Christman. This production dropped the song "Don't Do It Again".

Plot

In 1988, a memorial service to Ed Kleban is being held at the Shubert Theatre. Ed appears at his own memorial. His friends and colleagues remember him and think back over the past. As the time shifts backwards, the friends reminisce about the songwriting workshop held by

Lehman Engel A. Lehman Engel (September 14, 1910, Jackson, Mississippi – August 29, 1982, New York City) was an American composer for television, film, and operas and a conductor of Broadway musicals and operas. Work in theatre, television and films Enge ...

(now known as the

BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop The BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop is a two-year educational program for people who wish to develop a musical and has been called "the premier incubator for Broadway". At the end of the second year, a small number of selected participants ...

). As Ed interacts with the people in his life, he deals with ambitions, success, failures, and loves.

Characters

* Ed – Edward Kleban, lyricist and composer * Sophie – Ed's oldest friend and first love, an

oncologist Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''. The name's etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγκος (''� ...

– head of the songwriting workshop * Michael Bennett – director/ choreographer of ''A Chorus Line'' *

Marvin Hamlisch Marvin Frederick Hamlisch (June 2, 1944 – August 6, 2012) was an American composer and conductor. He is one of a handful of people to win Emmy Awards, Emmy, Grammy Awards, Grammy, Academy Awards, Oscar, and Tony Awards, Tony awards, a feat ...

– composer of ''A Chorus Line'' * Lucy – Ed's last significant other, member of the BMI Workshop * Felicia – Ed's boss at Columbia Records, member of the BMI Workshop * Bobby – Ed's best friend, member of the BMI Workshop * Charlie – a friend from the workshop, member of the BMI Workshop * Mona – one of Ed's many love affairs, member of the BMI Workshop

Song list

;Act I *"Light on My Feet" – Ed and Company *"The Fountain in the Garden" – Company *"One More Beautiful Song" – Ed and Sophie *"Fridays at Four" – Company *"Bobby's Song" – Bobby *"Charm Song" – Lehman and Company *"Paris Through The Window" – Ed, Bobby and Charley *"Mona" – Mona *"Under Separate Cover" – Sophie, Lucy and Ed *"Don't Do It Again" – Felicia and Ed *"Gauguin's Shoes" – Ed and Company *"Don't Do It Again (Reprise)" – Lehman *"Follow Your Star" – Sophie and Ed ;Act II *"Better" – Ed and Company *"Scintillating Sophie" – Ed *"The Next Best Thing To Love" – Sophie *"Broadway Boogie Woogie" – Lucy *"Better (Reprise)" – Ed and Company *"I Choose You" – Ed and Lucy *"The Nightmare" – Ed *"Say Something Funny" – Company *"When the Dawn Breaks" – Ed *"Self Portrait" – Ed

Recording

A recording by the Off-Broadway cast was released by RCA Victor Broadway on February 20, 2001.

Critical reception

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' reviewer wrote of the Broadway production that it "... seems smaller in almost every respect, and perhaps more curiously it is a better and more satisfying show, one that has found its rightful dimensions. ...The choreography could be more lively and original .... overall the show's alteration in spirit carries the day." The ''CurtainUp.com'' reviewer of the Manhattan Theatre Club production wrote: "It also left me filled with admiration for the eight talented performers who deserve a standing ovation for turning this small musical into a big treat for the eye, the ear and the heart. ...The entire song cycle has the flavor of the traditional musical esthetic. The music is tuneful and bouncy (often danceable). The lyrics full of clever lines."Sommer, Elyse.
"'A Class Act', Manhattan Theatre Club (11/12/00 performance) and Broadway (3/14/01 performance)"
''CurtainUp.com'', November 12, 2000 and March 14, 2001, accessed December 28, 2011

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

References

External links

Internet Broadway Database listing

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20110714111654/http://mondaymag.com/articles/entry/what-he-did-for-love2/ Monday Magazine 2008 Company C Review {{DEFAULTSORT:Class Act, A 2000 musicals Broadway musicals Biographical musicals about musicians Cultural depictions of American people Cultural depictions of classical musicians Musicals set in the 20th century